


Intermission

by fabre



Category: Tales of the Abyss
Genre: Angst, Drama, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mourning, Nostalgia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-23
Updated: 2010-05-23
Packaged: 2017-10-10 00:49:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/93424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fabre/pseuds/fabre
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The smallest of gestures can sometimes mean the most. (Set right before the final fight of the game, so there is discussion of events leading up to it, including recent deaths and characters' pasts.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Intermission

They had decided to make one last stop before heading back inside to fight Van, setting up camp just outside the building as finding any kind of rest while inside had seemed impossible. Every floor and staircase was full of traps, as Luke had found out himself earlier that day, so they had deemed it safer to stay just outside of its walls.

Luke woke up from a shaky nap filled with dreams of blood and screams from a voice so similar yet so unlike his own, sitting up with a start but bringing a hand up to run it through his hair in an effort to regain his composure. He didn't want to wake the others —they had been fighting for so long, they deserved the rest—, not to mention he had no right mourning the death of his original. If he hadn't injured Asch himself, if he hadn't taken his sword, Natalia wouldn't have had to hide those suspiciously bloodshot eyes as she tried to keep up pretenses that everything was fine.

He wanted to apologize to her, but he didn't know what he would tell her. _'I'm sorry. It should have been me. It's my fault he's dead. I'm sorry.'_ just didn't seem to cut it.

But thinking about that right now would do no one any good. Casting a glance around camp, he spotted Jade standing just a few meters away from them, chatting quietly with Anise —though to be fair she appeared to be doing most of the talking—. He'd been assigned first watch. Tear and Mieu were sleeping close by just to his left, staying near Natalia like they'd done since they had first heard the news of Asch's death. She had her back turned to them, facing the wall. She appeared to be sleeping from where Luke was sitting, but he had to wonder. She just seemed eerily still.

That pang of guilt made itself known again, so he forced his gaze away.

Guy's sleeping bag was to his right, like it had been when he had first fallen asleep, but the blond was not in it. Craning his neck up, he tried to look around for him, but he seemed to be nowhere in sight. Standing up as quietly as he could, he made his way to where Jade and Anise were sitting, their talk ceasing once he stepped up to them with a quiet nod.

"Where's Guy?"

Anise was the first to respond.

"He said he would be back soon."

The answer wasn't entirely satisfactory.

"He didn't say where he was going?"

Anise lifted her hands and shrugged, "I asked him, but he didn't even answer."

It was unlike Guy to leave to wander on his own like that, especially considering where they were. There were tons of monsters around! He shouldn't be out there on his own. What if he got attacked?

Ignoring his own logic, Luke started off from the pair resolutely.

"I'm going to go look for him."

Anise called after him, just loud enough so he'd hear, but still trying to keep her voice down, "But you don't know where he is!"

He waved a hand dismissively over his shoulder. He'd figure it out. He heard her mutter something about "moronic boys" as he turned a corner and started his search.

He paused as he came to a crossroad, biting his lip as he tried to think about where Guy would have gone. Was he just taking a walk, or had he gone to look for something in particular? Maybe he went back inside to Yulia's grave? Nah, that seemed way too reckless. There were far too many monsters inside, Guy would know that.

It was nothing but a hunch that led his way past the gardens and into the ruins of a half-formed city, making his way down the large stairs that led to the noble's houses and pausing as he stared into the replicated former home of his best friend.

Speaking of said best friend, he was standing by the hollow doorway, seemingly trapped in his own thoughts as he stared blankly inside. Luke felt some relief at finding him unharmed, but he wasn't sure what to think about the scene. He approached him, not being too careful about masking the sound of his steps so that the blond wouldn't be startled by his presence.

Guy didn't turn around, but he was sure he knew he was there, "Heh," The sudden sound of the other's voice made him draw to a halt. "I have no idea why I came back here."

Resuming walking, he came to a stop at his side and leaned against the threshold. Guy continued after a moment, almost like he'd been waiting for him, "I meant what I said earlier. This place isn't my home and I know that, but..." He paused, looking around, his eyes lingering a bit longer on the abandoned fireplace he could just see out of the corner of his eye, "It all looks so real."

He wished he knew what to say. He kind of wanted to give Guy a hug —he'd felt the urge since they'd first ran into this place—, but he was too old for those now, and it would probably be a weird thing to do between two guys, right? He struggled to find something to do with his hands, crossing his arms, uncrossing them, and finally just letting them hang awkwardly at his sides. Maybe a pat would be alright? Something to show Guy he was here for him? That couldn't be too bad.

However, once his hand found its way to the blond's forearm, he couldn't seem to bring himself to let go just yet. It didn't help when Guy brought his own hand up to rest over his, clearly grateful for the gesture. Luke heaved an internal sigh of relief. Man, figuring out the proper reaction to emotional things like these was still not easy. He never knew what to say to make things better. The longer they stayed like that in silence, the more it made him feel kind of funny in his stomach —kind of like a constant twisting or swirling feeling that wasn't really unpleasant but very much distracting—, but he disregarded the thought for the sake of focusing on his friend.

"You know..." Guy started again, "I had a feeling you'd come find me."

That drew Luke's eyes to him, "Eh? Really?" Well, how could he not? Who leaves camp to take a walk alone in the middle of enemy territory? Guy was always berating _him_ for doing reckless stuff, he should have known be—.

"Yeah," And this time, when Guy turned to him, he was smiling, "You always help me find my way back when I get lost."

Luke had no idea what that even meant, but his face felt considerably warmer than usual and the twisting feeling in his stomach switched to a breath-stopping squeeze that seemed to make it harder to breathe. There was something in the way Guy was looking at him that was making it hard for him to think, and he really would have forced himself to look away if the blond hadn't done it first, finally taking his hand off his —and leaving it feeling surprisingly cold— as he turned away from the shadow of his home.

"We should be heading back."

He saw him beginning to move away, so he quickly reached for the back of his vest, taking a hold of the cloth and not letting go. Guy looked surprised when he started to turn back, "Luke? What is—"

Before he could lose his nerve, the redhead took the couple steps separating them and wrapped his arms around the taller man from behind, burying his face against his back. Guy didn't struggle against his grip, but he did hesitate for a moment or two before relaxing into it, lowering his head to hide his expression as he turned around slowly to rest his forehead on Luke's shoulder, his own arms lifting to wrap tightly around the redhead in a hug bordering on the desperate.

The replica wasn't too sure what to do with his hands now that they were facing each other, so he simply held him a little tighter, hoping this was what Guy needed and that he wasn't just making it worse. If the blond was crying, he couldn't tell. And he wouldn't ask. As long as Guy knew that he was here, it was probably enough.

They stayed like that in silence for what felt like hours, with Luke occasionally brushing back Guy's hair gently and muttering senseless comforting nothings by his ear like Guy had done when he was little.

Eventually, the blond loosened his hold and moved back — but not completely, just enough to straighten up. His eyes didn't look any redder from what Luke could tell, but Guy had always been good at keeping his emotions to himself.

"... Thank you, Luke." His voice sounded softer than usual, deeper too, while he gave him a small warm smile. He tried not to focus too much on it.

He wasn't sure what the appropriate response was, so just went with a nod.

Guy looked like he was expecting something else —or maybe contemplating something else?— as he looked at him quietly, and maybe it was just Luke's mind playing tricks on him, but he could have _sworn_ he was also slowly leaning his face closer and closer to his. His voice seemed permanently stuck inside his throat, so he just reminded himself to keep breathing and stared up at Guy with wide eyes, trying to think of something to do —anything— besides just standing there, but all he could manage was to lick his lower lip nervously. It might have been his imagination then, but he thought he saw Guy's eyes following the movement for a second before quickly returning to meet his gaze.

And then, just as quickly as the moment had arrived, it was gone, and Guy was letting him go with one last final squeeze and taking a step back to put some distance between them.

He couldn't really understand why he felt oddly disappointed. He swallowed it back, and forced himself to speak.

"We really should go back now. The others should be up by now, and we need to keep going."

Guy nodded his agreement, so Luke began to lead the way, but before he could go really far, there was an arm gripping his, effectively stopping him from continuing on his way.

Before he could turn around himself to ask Guy what was wrong —did he need a little more time?—, the blond was doing it for him, and suddenly there was the gentlest of pressures against his lips, and it was soft and warm and a little hurried and slightly off probably due to a miscalculation, but it was _Guy_, so it was more than okay. It was, also, over before Luke could really understand what was happening.

He absentmindedly suspected that the current little grin on Guy's face had something to do with the fact that he hadn't punched him in the face the second it was over. Now if he could only bring his brain to _restart_ again...

"Well, time to go back."

Guy's voice was so matter of fact it was kind of annoying. How could he just... just... do _that_ and then act like nothing happened?

"Hey! Now wait a second!" Well, at least his voice was working again, even if he sounded indignant.

"Now, now, Luke. We can't keep the others waiting."

And he was walking away? And he had the nerve to grin? What the heck!

"GUY! GET BACK HERE!"

Somehow, the awkwardness from before seemed to have dissipated, and Luke was grateful for that. But he'd be thankful later. Right now, he had a blond to catch.

...

Well, how about that?

The twisting in his stomach was gone.


End file.
